Aussie SVOD platform adds BBC docs

Australian on-demand platform Presto has acquired several documentaries from BBC Worldwide’s local Australasian arm.

The 100-hour agreement with BBCWW Australia & New Zealand includes Brazil with Michael Palin, Michael Palin’s New Europe, Stephen Fry and the Great American Oil Spill, Fry’s Planet World and 18 Louis Theroux titles such as The Most Hated Family in America and Gambling in Las Vegas.

Others include Simon Reeve’s Australia, Joanna Lumley – the Quest for Noah’s Ark and African Journey with Jonathan Dimbleby, Steve Jobs – Billion Dollar Hippie, The Men Who Made Us Thin and All Apologies: Kurt Kobain and Leonardo – Inside the Mind of a Genius.

The docs will be made available via the Presto TV and Presto Entertainment bundles on July 16.

“The BBC is a prolific producer of high quality documentary programming and we are thrilled to offer our subscribers a terrific selection of their programming which they can stream on demand,” said Presto’s interim CEO, Shaun James.

For BBCWW ANZ, the Australasian arm of the UK pubcaster, the deal comes days after Tim Christlieb was promoted to director of channels

This puts him in control of premium drama network BBC First, UKTV, factual network BBC Knowledge, and CBeebies in Australia; and UKTV and BBC Knowledge in New Zealand.

This comes after a strategic review that ended in Christlieb’s promotion and the exit of director of television Natalie Edgar, whose post will not be refilled.

Christlieb has been with BBCWW ANZ since May 2012 and has been head of channels since October 2013.